Download Important DK Goel Solutions for Class 11 Accountancy Chapter 14 - Trial Balance and Errors Free PDF
FAQs on DK Goel Class 11 Accountancy Solutions: Chapter 14 Overview
1. What is the main objective of preparing a Trial Balance in Class 11 Accountancy?
The primary objective of preparing a Trial Balance is to check the arithmetical accuracy of the entries made in the ledger. It is a statement that lists all the debit and credit balances of ledger accounts. If the total of the debit column matches the total of the credit column, it confirms that the accounts are arithmetically correct, providing a sound basis for preparing the final financial statements like the Trading and Profit & Loss Account and the Balance Sheet.
2. How do you solve a practical problem for preparing a Trial Balance using the Balance Method?
To solve a practical problem and prepare a Trial Balance using the Balance Method as per the CBSE syllabus, you must follow these systematic steps:
- First, ascertain the final balance of every account in the ledger, including the cash and bank accounts.
- Draw a two-column statement with headings for Debit Balances and Credit Balances.
- List all accounts showing a debit balance (like assets, expenses, drawings) in the debit column.
- List all accounts showing a credit balance (like liabilities, capital, income, gains) in the credit column.
- Finally, sum up both the debit and credit columns. The totals must be equal for the Trial Balance to tally.
3. What are the key steps to locate errors if the Trial Balance totals do not agree?
If the Trial Balance does not agree, a systematic check is required to locate the errors. According to the correct accounting procedure, the steps are as follows:
- Re-total the Trial Balance: First, re-calculate the totals of both the debit and credit columns.
- Check for Missing Accounts: Ensure that the balance of every single ledger account has been included in the Trial Balance.
- Verify Ledger Balances: Re-check the balancing process for each ledger account to ensure it was done correctly.
- Check Postings: Compare the ledger postings with the amounts in the original journal entries or subsidiary books to spot any discrepancies in amounts or sides of posting.
- Look for Specific Differences: If the difference is divisible by 2, search for a transaction of half that amount posted to the wrong side. If divisible by 9, it may be a transposition or slide error.
4. Why is the agreement of a Trial Balance not considered conclusive proof of accounting accuracy?
The agreement of a Trial Balance is not conclusive proof of accuracy because certain types of errors do not affect the equality of debits and credits and therefore remain undetected. These errors include:
- Errors of Omission: A transaction is completely missed and not recorded in the journal at all.
- Errors of Principle: A transaction is recorded against fundamental accounting principles, such as treating a capital expenditure as a revenue expense.
- Compensating Errors: The effect of one error is cancelled out by the effect of one or more other errors.
- Errors of Commission: A correct amount is posted to the correct side, but in the wrong person's account.
Because these errors do not cause an imbalance, the Trial Balance will still tally, giving a false sense of complete accuracy.
5. How does an 'error of principle' differ from an 'error of commission' in the context of Chapter 14?
An error of principle is a fundamental mistake where an entry violates accounting principles, for example, debiting 'Repairs Account' instead of 'Machinery Account' for installation charges. This error does not affect the Trial Balance agreement but results in incorrect financial statements. In contrast, an error of commission is a clerical or procedural mistake, such as posting the wrong amount (e.g., ₹540 instead of ₹450), posting to the wrong account on the correct side, or incorrect totalling of an account. While some errors of commission can cause the Trial Balance to disagree, others may not.
6. When is a Suspense Account opened, and what is its purpose in the accounting process?
A Suspense Account is a temporary account used when a Trial Balance fails to agree and the errors cannot be located immediately before preparing the final accounts. The difference between the debit and credit totals is placed in the Suspense Account to make the Trial Balance tally. Its main purpose is to facilitate the timely preparation of the Trading and Profit & Loss Account and Balance Sheet. Once the one-sided errors are located, rectification entries are passed through the Suspense Account, which ideally gets closed automatically after all such errors are rectified.





